TNAG-1792-FCO40-2552-Hong-Kong-Vietnamese-refugees-repatriation--including-Opera-1988 — Page 221

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THE MINISTERS EXPRESSED THEIR RESOLVE TO UNITE THEIR COUNTRIES'

FORCES TO FIGHT THIS SERIOUS INTERNATIONAL THREAT. THEY WELCOMED

THE FACT THAT THE FIRST INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE ON DRUG ABUSE AND ILLICIT TRAFFICKING IN JUNE 1987 PROVIDED AN OPPORTUNITY TO

WORK OUT COMMON STRATEGIES TO COMBAT THE ILLICIT MANUFACTURE, TRAFFICKING AND CONSUMPTION OF DRUGS AND RELATED CRIMINAL ACTIVITIES. IT IS NOW ESSENTIAL TO IMPLEMENT THE CONFERENCE'S RECOMMENDATIONS CONSISTENTLY AND RAPIDLY, IN PARTICULAR BY IMPLEMENTING THE RECOMMENDATIONS IN THE RESOLUTION ADOPTED BY CONSENSUS AT THE 1988 MEETING OF THE COMMISSION ON NARCOTIC DRUGS AND BY AN EARLY NEGOTIATION, SIGNATURE AND RATIFICATION OF THE NEW UN CONVENTION ON ILLICIT TRAFFICKING.

THE ASEAN MINISTERS EXPRESSED THEIR APPRECIATION TO THE EC FOR ITS ASSISTANCE FOR THE ASEAN/EC DRUG RELATED PROJECTS IN THE

AREAS OF DRUG PREVENTION AND REHABILITATION.

14.

INTERNATIONAL ECONOMIC SITUATION

THE MINISTERS HAD AN EXCHANGE OF VIEWS ON THE RECENT EVOLUTION

AND PROSPECTS OF THE INTERNATIONAL ECONOMIC SITUATION. THE NEED FOR DEVELOPING AND APPLYING POLICIES GEARED TOWARDS THE

INTENSIFICATION OF GROWTH WAS RECOGNISED. THE CORRECTION OF EXISTING DISEQUILIBRIA, PARTICULARLY IN TRADE AND CURRENT ACCOUNT IMBALANCES ANBD THE REDUCTION OF MONETARY INSTABILITY WERE CONSIDERED TO BE A MAJOR TASK IN RESTORING A SOUND INTERNATIONAL ECONOMY. THE NECESSITY WAS ALSO STRESSED OF COUNTERING GROWING PROTENTIONIST PRESSURES, INCREASING FINANCIAL FLOWS TO DEVELOPING COUNTRIES, ALLEVIATING THEIR DEBT BURDEN AND THUS ALLOWING THEM RESOURCES FOR GROWTH.

THE MINISTERS RECOGNISED THE IMPORTANT ROLE THE DEVELOPING COUNTRIES COULD PLAY IN FOSTERING WORLD ECONOMIC GROWTH. IN THIS CONTEXT, THE MINISTERS ALSO RECOGNISED THAT THE CLOSE RELATIONS DEVELOPED BETWEEN ASEAN AND THE EC WOULD BENEFIT THE WORLD ECONOMY. THE MINISTERS EXPRESSED THEIR SATISFACTION THAT THEIR CO-OPERATION BOTH IN INTERNATIONAL FORA AND ON A BILATERAL BASIS CONTRIBUTED TO THE ENCOURAGING IMPROVEMENTS IN THE EFFORTS TOWARDS RESTORING A SOUND INTERNATIONAL ECONOMY. THE MINISTERS EXPRESSED THE HOPE THAT THE TORONTO SUMMIT OF THE INDUSTRIALISED COUNTRIES WILL BE FRUITFUL. ASEAN MINISTERS URGED THAT THE INTERESTS OF THE DEVELOPING COUNTRIES INCLUDING ASEAN BE FULLY

TAKEN INTO ACCOUNT.

15. URUGUAY ROUND

THE MINISTERS WELCOMED THE PROGRESS THAT HAD BEEN MADE IN THE NEW

ROUND OF MULTILATERAL TRADE NEGOTIATIONS AND REAFFIRMED THEIR COMMITMENT TO WORK TOWARDS THE ACHIEVEMENT OF THE OBJECTIVES LAID DOWN AT PUNTA DEL ESTE. THE COMMUNITY AND ASEAN NOTED WITH

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